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Are babies with gastroschisis small for gestational age?
R T Blakelock1, V Upadhyay, P W Pease
1Department of Paediatrics, University of Auckland, and Department of Paediatric Surgery, Starship Children's Health, Auckland, New Zealand.
Insights
Babies with gastroschisis (GS) are significantly underweight compared to the general population. This low birth weight is consistent across different populations, suggesting a link between intestinal function and fetal growth.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Surgery
- Neonatal Research
- Fetal Development
Background:
- Gastroschisis (GS) is a congenital condition often associated with low birth weight in affected infants.
- Previous research has not clearly defined whether low birth weight in GS is a population-wide phenomenon or specific to certain subgroups.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if infants with gastroschisis (GS) exhibit significantly lower birth weights than the general population.
- To compare the birth weights of GS infants from two distinct geographical populations.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 44 infants with GS treated at Auckland Children's Hospital (1969-1995).
- Retrospective analysis of 69 infants with GS treated at Birmingham Children's Hospital (1980-1993).
- Calculation of mean birth weight relative to gestational age (WtStdev) for each cohort.
Main Results:
- Infants with GS in both Auckland and Birmingham cohorts showed significantly lower mean WtStdev scores compared to the general population (P < 0.001).
- The mean WtStdev scores between the Auckland and Birmingham cohorts were not statistically different.
- These findings indicate a consistent pattern of reduced birth weight in infants with GS across different populations.
Conclusions:
- Infants with gastroschisis (GS) are born with significantly lower birth weights than their non-affected peers.
- The consistency of low birth weight in GS infants across different populations suggests a common underlying factor.
- A normally functioning gastrointestinal tract appears crucial for normal fetal growth, highlighting the impact of GS on development.
Abstract:
A large proportion of babies with gastroschisis (GS) have low birth weights. It is not clear, however, whether only certain subgroups or the whole population of babies with GS have low birth weights. The aim of this study was to ascertain if the birth weights of babies with GS are significantly lower than those of the general population and to determine if the birth weights of babies with GS from two different populations were significantly different. From 1969 to 1995, 44 babies with GS were treated at Auckland Children's Hospital, New Zealand. From 1980 to 1993, 69 babies were treated at Birmingham Children's Hospital, England. For each group, the mean birth weight relative to the mean birth weight for gestation (WtStdev) was significantly different from zero (Auckland = -0.806, Birmingham = -0.762, P < 0.001, one-sample analysis). The mean WtStdev scores from each centre were not significantly different from each other. Our data demonstrate that the birth weights of babies with GS are significantly lower than those of the general population and are similar in different populations. These findings support the notion that a normally functioning intestinal tract is essential for normal fetal growth.